The University of Florida men’s and women’s swimming team turned in another good effort at the 2005 United States World Championship Trials in IU Natatorium. The Gators qualified four for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials and earned two top-eight finishes on the day.

A quintet of Gator men competed in the 200-meter freestyle, with two qualifying for finals in the event. Junior Ryan Lochte (Daytona Beach, Fla.) was UF’s top qualifier and raced to a fourth-place finish in a clocking of 1:48.89. It was Lochte’s first race against seven-time Olympic medalist Michael Phelps since the pair took the top-two spots in the 200-meter individual medley in the Athens Olympic Games. Phelps won the event by touching the wall in a time of 1:46.44.

By finishing in 20th-place in a time of 1:52.88, junior Brian Hartley (Indianapolis, Ind.) qualified for the 2008 U.S Olympic trials in the 200-meter freestyle. Freshman teammate Max Jaben (Overland Park, Kansas) finished right on Hartley’s heels as he touched the wall in a time of 1:52.96 to take 21st. Freshman Grant Wieczorek (Carmel, Ind.) posted a time of 1:55.11 to place 41st. Sophomore Matt Coan (Plantation, Fla.) placed 49th after racing to a time of 1:55.59.

In the 200-meter butterfly the UF freshman duo of Jaben and Wieczorek recorded times of 2:08.22 and 2:08.43 to claim 36th and 37th-place respectively.

For the women, freshman Caroline Burckle (Louisville, Ky.) continued to swim well as she raced to a time of 2:00.16 to take fourth-place. Indiana native Leah Retrum (Columbus, Ind.) placed 18th by touching up in a time of 2:02.45. The times posted by Burckle and Retrum qualified the duo for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials in the event. Freshmen Kim Larson (Longwood, Fla.) and Natalie Pike (Boca Raton, Fla.) notched times of 2:05.42 and 2:06.36 to claim 45th and 59th-place.

The 2005 U.S. World Championship Trials continue tomorrow through April 6 at the IU Natatorium.

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